Through such a reflexive, hands-on approach of solving design problems, Karan was able to realize his thesis project called as M-CLE (Embodied Constructivist Learning Environment) in which a child using a modified toy bike creates emergent artwork with a swarm of four robots that embellish its creations in an active learning environment. During his 2 years at UCI, Karan's research was supported by grants and sponsorship from external entities. One of these entities is a San Clemente based company called MegaChess that sponsored his research efforts in creating a physical learning environment called RoboTeamX for children. The other entity is the cross-campus institution called CALIT2 (California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology) where Karan's work towards synergistic robotics, embodied technologies and interactive media design was supported by the 'Embodied Interaction' group of the New Media Arts Lab (NMAL) that is engaged in using media and computer technologies to create environments for performance and sites for interaction.

RoboTeamX Chess Robots at Legoland California

Given the multi-disciplinary education and the hands-on design and practice that he sought at UCI along with independent research / contracts / internships and job experience, Karan would now like to dedicate his efforts towards a company/research lab whose commercial or research interests involve among others the following: 1] Building Products and Technologies for facilitating Learning 2] Using new forms of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to drive product design in areas of personal, industrial robotics 3] Educational and Entertainment Technologies using Robotics and Interactive Media Design.

More importantly however, what drives Karan's work are his passion for innovation, a pursuit for creative excellence and a reflexive awareness and understanding of things. These enable him to be immersed in a cycle of 'critical technical practice' where certain foundational questions are asked, problems and design goals are formulated and creative strategies are sought to realize new solutions. Karan is extremely passionate about changing lives through 'technology that can make a difference' and is constantly immersed in literature on design, robotics, electronics, software and mechanical constructions.

Unique Skills and Interests

1] Human-centered Design driven by theoretical understanding of human psychology
2] Developing communication protocols for a group of AI systems synergistically working with humans
3] Developing custom Hardware / Software for Robotic Applications with years of programming experience in foundational languages such as C, C++ and machine shop skills such as drilling, milling, lathe

Guiding Principles & Lessons Learned from specific research at UCI

From the perspective of a ‘critical technical practitioner’ in my fields and an avid student of science, I deeply believe in the value of education and how the different stages of learning play a foundational role in developmental psychology. Designing systems based on a reflexive awareness of how learning really takes place was the cornerstone of my research work at UCI. Much of my research work has been sensitive to the fact that today there are a plethora of ‘edutainment’ products out there that seem to be driven by a sort of an unquestioned bias towards packing a set of attractive features in a toy that can instantly gratify a child. The result is thus the predominance of a design philosophy that focuses more on the internal complexity of the system rather than being based on the foundational principles of developmental learning. I believe that emerging new fields like ‘Physical/Tangible computing’ and those at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Interactive Media Technologies will significantly affect the research practice, trends and models of both creating and delivering educational systems. Hence the justification of my interdisciplinary education at UCI.

4. Stanford University – Stanford Ignite Fellow (March 2015):
Granted a full fellowship to the Stanford Ignite Global Entrepreneurship Program

5. UCI Director's Fellowship (2006):
Granted a full fellowship to UCI for the 2006-07 academic year

6. NYU Reynolds Program for Social Entrepreneurship (2006): Selected as one of the 100 sponsored finalists who participated in New York University’s Catherine. B. Reynolds Program in Social Entrepreneurship in New York City

7. Computer Society of India (CSI) Winning Paper (2003): Won the CSI Best Paper on our project ANNCRIPS - Artificial Neural Networks for Cancer Research in Prediction of Survival

8. National Scholarship (2000): This scholarship sponsored my education for the year 01-02

9. United World Colleges’ Full Fee-Paying Scholarship (2000): This scholarship which I declined had been offered to me for completing my undergraduate education in the US

10. XLFTS All India Talent Search (1997): This scholarship sponsored me on a student exchange program to Europe

11. Maharashtra Scholarship (1997): This scholarship sponsored my school education for the year 97-98